Universal indicator support



Dec. 14, 194s. L1 T. KNUTSON. 2,456,003 y UNIVERSAL INDIVGATOR SUPPORTFiled May 30, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Lesfer Vnurson ADec.14,'1948.r 1 T. KNUTSON y 2,456,003

UNIVERSAL INDICATOR SUPPORT Filed May so, 1945 i 2 sheets-sheet 2 x, l olo I9 f Y I 4 Q .57 l 33 INVENTOR .56 Lesi'er'l.' Kn'ui'son PatentedDec. 14, 1948 UNITE-D1l srArss y-P-ATISNI Vori-"ICE l e 2,456,003 l eUNIVERSAL INDICATOR SUPPORT Lester T. Knutson, MinneapolisMinn.

Application May so, 1945; 4vsei-iai No. 596,769

f l My invention-relates to a universal Vindicator for lathes andsimilarmachine tools, and hasfor its .object to provide an indicator xforuse,particularly ,in connection with turret lathes, but

also adaptable for use withother machine tools, which shall beadaptablefor use in many different positions and be quickly applicableto all "2i-claims. (CI. 24S-'124) typesof Work upon Whichlatheoperations 4haveA been'performed. v v

Lathe indicatorsv have long beenemployed ,and consist in general of aplunger device having a head adapted to engage the surface of work, andhaving gearing operatedby movements of the plunger device which hasconnection with a formv off. arrow indicator over a scale. As the workrevolves the head vv,engages a circular surfaceA thereof and themovements of the neve dlewith its head in rotative engagement with thesurface, will indicate to the operator the degree and place on thesurface where it doesnot approximate a true circle or cylinder. As suchindicators lhave been'lfurnished and used prior to my invention, agreat,A deal ofdiiiculty isencountered in positioningv the contactinghead reffectively for different kinds of Work andmuch time isconsumed inbuilding up meansfor holding the indicator on a very large number ofdifferent types of work. .#I have discovereda way to mount the indicatorand itsplunger and head thereon soy that they form a substantiallyuniversal point of support from a fixedpartfon the machine.Substantially universal movements of the plunger and its headmaybe madeto bring thek plunger into cont,actIvith workin substantially everyconceivable position.r

` advantageous results are yobtained will be ticularly pointed out inthe claims.

.In the drawings illustrating an applicationof my invention in one ofits forms: Fig. 1 4,is a side elevation view of the complete invention.vf

lli'g. 2 is a sectional elevation viewvof theinventiontakenthrough avertical plane of'what is shown in Fig. 1. L

Fig 3 illustrates vthe position ofthe indicator. when the headiseng'agingin a substantially yhorizontal plane upon work cylindrical inoutline. ,Y

" vFiga illustratesVV the positionof the indicator relativeto la planeface of a piece of work and which position may be shifted throughout thearcfof a circle'according to the operative position of therpiece ofWork.

fig. 5 .illustrates the position of the indicatork and its head inengagement with the cylindrical. outer surface of a piece of work whichis held in a positionat right angles to the position of. thework in Fig.3.

Fig. 6 illustrates a position of the indicator Where the plunger headengages an inside. cylindrical surface.

The indicator itself lis in most -particulars of standard constructioncomprising the casing Ill circular and cylindricalin outerV outline,having a horizontal top partition ll, a scale guard I2 and artransparent cover I3. Within la chamber I4 in It is aprincipal objectofmy invention, theref fore, to so mount the indicator and particularlythe plunger and dhead thereon thatait may be swung in` circles in threeplanes at right angles to each other, lwhereby the plunger-head may theyappended specifications, and f theL novely features ofmy inventionbywhich lthe aforesaid the c-asing is mounted gearing I5, I6 which rotatesa Ashaft I1 having thereona pointer or needle I8. The gearing I6 isdriven by a rack I1 on 'a plunger member I8 which is mounted for exactright line movement ina pair of spaced tubes i9 and 20 supported in thecylindrical side walls of the casing I0.

The plunger is normally pushed outward bya spring' 2| to bring the topof set screw 22 into engagement with the inner end 23 ofthe tube I9.Longitudinal movement of the plunger by contact with the surface beingtested due to nonuniformity of that surfa'caeither as a cylinder.

, vor as a' plane' face, will be transmitted much magnified tothekneedle I8, which will indicate to ther operator how much thesurfaceis out of vtrue and what he must do or continue todo to rectify it.

As stated, the above described features ofthe indicator instrumentare ofstandard construction. However, thebottom wall of the old constructionis 4very different from the bottom wall of myconstruction In the oldconstruction lthe bottom is formed as a clamp to seize and 'hold somemember secured to a fixed part off the machine.

In my invention I form the bottom 24 with a central outwardly extendingstud 25 which is adapted to extend through a plate arm 26 through anopening 21 therein. The bottom 24 has an annular cut-out portion 28surrounding the stud leaving an annular surface 29 on bottom wall 24.

The stud 25. is threaded andhas thereona ,nut 30 and a lock nut 3l whichhold the plate arm 25.

in engagement with the 'annular surface 29 with sufficient force so thatit is held rigid but yet so that the plate 26 may be turned upon thespindle 25. A round opening 32 is formed on the end of plate 25 andreceives the end ofa pin or. shaft 33. the shaft 33 to the plate 26.

The upper end 35 of shaft 33 extends through an opening in a head 35formed on the end of a bolt extension 3l which is threaded at 38 andreceives on its threaded end a hand 'nut'39.y A clip member 40, Fig. 2,surrounds the upper part 350i shaft 33 and has holes on opposite sidesto permit the part 35' of shaft 33 to pass through. This clip member hasbeveled `feet 4I and 42 which engage in a correspondingly beveled recess43,l inv The hand nut 39 is formed with a recess 46` in which is mounteda compression spring 4T and a. washer 48 which is positioned Within theannular inner' edge 49' of the clip member 44. I-Ience when the handnut`39 is turned down it may compress the spring and* at the same time lockthe clamp on the rod 45 and tighten the clip member 40 upon the upperend 35 of the shafty 33." This will. hold the shaft 33 firmly inposition.

Yet ordinarily it will not be held so. tightr but that the plate 26' andparts carried. thereby can be rotated in the bearing of the shaft in theclip 40".. Or if the pressure is-too great so the parts are heldrigidlytogether and shaft 33A cannot be rotatedeasily, a short turnxof hand nut39 will release it sufficiently for rotation to any degree desired. Alsoa loosening of the nut 3S Will sufciently release the clamp 44`to permitrotation thereof on the rod 45;

Thisv arrangement is such that the indicator casing itself may beyrotated upon stud 25; The plate 25" and shaft extending at right anglesthereto may be rotated within the head y35 and clip 40'; The shaft 33mounted in thehead. 36 and pin 31 maybe rotated about an axis runningthrough said pin, and the entireA ass-emblage may be rotated inaplaneatright angles to the last-named rotation about the fixed rod 45.

Combinations ofthese movements make possible the presentation ofthecontacting head 5IV to the surface/of work, eitheran. outercylindrical l5 This end is swaged at 34 to rigidly attach 4 plungermember I8' are normal to the surface -of the work 52, that is the axisof the plunger member I8' will extend at substantially right angles tothe elements of the cylindrical surface of the work cylinder 52, as isnecessary.

In this form of Work and its position, the surface engaged by theplunger head 5I is shown as substantially parallel to the edges of plate26. Hencatheaxis of the plunger ISv will `be held at substantially arightlangle to the central line of plate 26.

However, the work 52 may be held at any angle relative to the plate 25,and the head 5I can be easily adjusted to contact the surface of work 52with the axisof .the plunger I8 at right angles thereto, as for examplein Fig. 5, where the work 53' rotates-about'. a vertical axis and theplunger I8v carrying the head 5I is in extended alignment with the plate26.

Furthermore, to get this position, from the position: ofy Fig. 3, theplate 'arm and `shaft-33 Were''rstrotated through 90"7 upon the spindle225'y to bringtheplunger I8 intoalignment with the plate arm 25j Thenthe-assembly will vbero-` tatedin clamp 44fto-bring the planeofthe-platel 215iat right angles tothe axisv of fixed rod 45; as viewedinl full plan in'Fig. 5; A f f Togetthe position of Fig. 4 work5'4"h'as=itsat rotating surface 55 contacted by t'h'eheady 5| of plunger`I 8. As shown; 'the v'plungers axis extends at Vright angles totheplatearmI 2B but it is obvious that in yadjusting the instrument thev plungercan be turned to any angle to the plate bar as forl example, as it isshown in Fig. 6, to

surface, an. inner. cylindrical surfaee, a, topk or bottomV face.surface, or an upper, lower or outer edge surface where the work. isheld inany position in the machine. Some ofthe very large number ofpossible positions of the head relative to diierent types and positionsof work are shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Inv Fig. 3 acylindrical member. 52. such asv a shaft or similar deviceis the work shown.` The contactofhead 5I. is made directly upon theouter. surface of. the work piece 52. In theu form shown in Fig..3, 52is, rotating around alongitudinal axis Vand the head 5i and the axis ofthe adjust the plunger head- 5Iy to the surface to beA engaged; for al1Vthat is necessary is to havethe axis of the plunger I8 extend' at' rightangles-to the-surface offthe Work;

The xed member 45l mayvv be, as shown, a round/.rodor it maybe-any.yother form of fixed member to which the clamp 44- may be attached. Onmachine tools as customarily. manu-l factured ther-e arel places forsecuring suchy a xed member to `the tool head1 andv thisvmember45"'isadapted to be useolfinv connection with any such securing means.

The precise vmethod of swiveling the several parts together so as to getat the same time universalvmovement and sufficient holding rigidity isvnot necessarily limited to the'means shown, the essential feature beingthat the various parts, while capable of four or morel swiveling move.ments, are so heldl together, With a requisite degree of essentialrigidity to produce accurate indi'- cations effected by the back andforth movement offtheplungerl by reasonaof contact of its head 5iwith-.a surface of work being. operated upon. A high degreev of rigidityin holding the plunger is in fact essential to get accurate indications.

TheV advantages off'my invention, will, it is believed, be clearV fromthe description of the-parts, their relationsand` their operation givenin the foregoingv specification. The primary and significant advantageresides in the4 fact that when theentire apparatus is suspended or heldupon a ilxedsupporting member, the relative movements of the parts willbe such as to enable the plunger head. 5I to be presentedat right anglesto any surface being operated upon.

A further and highly important .advantage closely connected with thatabove. described is to hold` these parts together, notwithstanding theuniversal movements for. presenting. the plunger head, in such away asto make Vthey/hole'assemblage, when set in operative position,substantially rigid. n

Other advantages arise from the low cost of manufacture, the ease withwhich the device may be assembled and set up, and the consequent largesaving of time over other methods employed.

I claim: f

1. In combination with an indicator having a casing anda plunger with ahead thereon adapted to contact a rotating surface whereby the indicatorwill reveal irregularities of said surface, a plate member, meansrigidly connected With the plate member for supporting both said platemember and theindicator, and means for rotat- 0 ably mounting theindicator on a lateral surface of `said plate member.

2. In combination with a machine and an indicator supporting means forrotatably mounting said indicator on said machine, which comprises auniversal clamp adapted to be mounted on a machine, an arm memberrotatably carried by said clamp, a first plate member having a planesurface, said first plate member being rigidly connected with said armmember at right angles thereto, and means including a back plate to theindicator casing formed with a central outwardly extending stud whi-chextends through an aperture in said first plate member for rotatablymounting the indicator on a plane surface of the rst plate member.

3` In combination with a machine and an indicator, supporting means forrotatably mounting said indicator on said machine which comprises a rstplate member, supporting means for mount,- ing said member on saidmachine, a cup-shaped plate member having a narrow edge in` contact 6with said first plate member which is adapted to rotatably support anindicator on said rst plate member, and securing means for clamping saidcup-shaped member in any one of a plurality of v positions with relationto said rst plate member.

REFERENQES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,279,703 James Sept. 24, 19181,403,795 Lippert Jan. 17, 1922 2,073,089 Autenrieth Mar. 9, 19372,124,006 Parker July 19, 1938 2,304,460 Kelleher Dec. 8, 1942 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 82,269 Switzerland Dec. 7, 1918 132,968Great Britain Oct. 2, 1919

